Revered by many as the most beautiful, breathtaking place to camp in all of the United States, those planning to a camping trip in or around Yosemite National Park have quite a few options – some that many don’t realize. For example, there are many campgrounds open year around while others are available just during certain seasons.

Some camping sites are reserved well in advance, while others are available on a first come, first serve basis only. Most, but not all, allow both tent and RV parking. These are just a few of the things to take into consideration. As you can see, it’s important to plan this vacation well in advance so you know what to expect and can enjoy your trip without the hassle of worrying where to setup at.

Yosemite Camping Tips

1. You don’t have to bring an RV or stay in a tent, you can also find and reserve some great lodging spots at Housekeeping and High Sierra Camps.
2. Make a camping list! You don’t want to forget anything, especially if you’ve got a long trip ahead.
3. Some of the campground locations are over 8,000 feet in altitude, which can be cold and lead to altitude sickness in some people. If this is a concern, plan your trip at a lower elevation.
4. Find out if your campsite will have water spigots, not all of the sites do. Either way, they’re not usually close by so bring something to hold the water in.
5. Many of the campsites are dusty, which might wreak havok if you have allergies.
6. Cleanliness is very important at Yosemite! You have got to clean everything up when you leave, and an example of how careful you have to be – they wouldn’t let us dump dirty soap water on the ground after washing dishes. Seriously.

Yosemite Camping Reservations In And Around The Park

Did you know that there are 13 camp-grounds within Yosemite? These include Upper, Lower and North Pines along with Camp 4 located in the Yosemite Valley. Scattered elsewhere throughout the park are Bridalveil Creek, Crane Flat, Hodgdon Meadow, Porcupine and Tamarack Flat, Tuolumne Meadows, Wawona, White Wolf and Yosemite Creek.

Outside the Nat’l Park, you’ll find lots of grounds near towns and private land that can be reserved. Also, the US Forest Service operates quite a few sites on National Forest lands surrounding the whole of the Park. If one place is booked, I’m sure with a few phone calls you’ll be able to get reservations setup someplace even with little to no notice.